A new splice variant of the human guanylate-binding protein 3 mediates anti-influenza activity through inhibition of viral transcription and replication

FASEB J. 2012 Mar;26(3):1290-300. doi: 10.1096/fj.11-189886. Epub 2011 Nov 21.

Abstract

Guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs) belong to the family of large GTPases that are induced in response to interferons. GBPs contain an N-terminal globular GTPase domain and a C-terminal α-helical regulatory domain that are connected by a short middle domain. Antiviral activity against vesicular stomatitis virus and encephalomyocarditis virus has been shown for hGBP-1; however, no anti-influenza virus properties for GBPs have been described to date. Here we show that hGBP-1 and hGBP-3 possess anti-influenza viral activity. Furthermore, we have identified a novel splice variant of hGBP-3, named hGBP-3ΔC, with a largely modified C-terminal α-helical domain. While all three GBP isoforms were up-regulated on influenza virus infection, hGBP-3ΔC showed the most prominent antiviral activity in epithelial cells. Mutational analysis of hGBPs revealed that the globular domain is the principal antiviral effector domain, and GTP-binding, but not hydrolysis, is necessary for antiviral action. Furthermore, we showed that hGBP-3ΔC strongly represses the activity of the viral polymerase complex, which results in decreased synthesis of viral vRNA, cRNA, mRNA, and viral proteins, as well.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alternative Splicing
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytokines / pharmacology
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / virology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / genetics*
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / immunology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • HeLa Cells
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics
  • Humans
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation
  • Orthomyxoviridae / genetics
  • Orthomyxoviridae / immunology
  • Orthomyxoviridae / physiology
  • Protein Isoforms / genetics
  • Protein Isoforms / immunology
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • RNA Interference
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / genetics
  • Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / immunology
  • Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus / physiology
  • Virus Replication*
  • Viruses / genetics*
  • Viruses / immunology

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • GBP1 protein, human
  • GBP3 protein, human
  • Protein Isoforms
  • GTP-Binding Proteins